Since Vice President hopeful Governor Sarah Palin appeared on national television last week with Trig, her baby diagnosed with Down syndrome, a new light has been shone on these children. This is good news for the children, their parents, and the professionals who have championed their cause for many years.

Children diagnosed with Down syndrome often have slower development in mobility, language, and manual competence, but are commonly treated as if they are unintelligent, incapable, and hopeless. The parents of these children are often told to warehouse their children and forget them.

For half a century The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential () has been teaching parents of Down syndrome children and providing them with the tools they need to help their children become intellectually, physically, and socially excellent. "Each and every one of these children deserves a fighting chance to be well and enjoy a full and rich life," states Glenn Doman, founder of The Institutes and author of the groundbreaking book What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child. Recently The Institutes published The Pathway to Wellness, which provides parents with 240 vital points to create an enriched environment at home.

This month The Institutes is offering the course What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child, to be held September 22-26 in Philadelphia. Parents learn how to evaluate their child, how to design a balanced home program of intellectual stimulation and physical opportunity, and how to improve their child's health and well-being through better nutrition and an improved environment.

A recent graduate of the course wrote, "I learned that there is help for my child. This course has been such a blessing because teachers, doctors, and parents of other children with Down syndrome didn't believe this to be possible."

One young man who was diagnosed at birth with Down syndrome and began The Institutes program as a baby, recently received a degree in economics at the age of 22. As his parents explained, "The program helped him overall in developing his intellectual potential. As a matter of fact he is a tireless, insatiable reader ... and an example of what can be achieved."

To attend the What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child Course, call 800-736-4663 or 215-233-2050 (x 2868), email the Registrar at , or go to . To receive the free booklet, The Pathway to Wellness by Glenn Doman and the staff of The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, call 800-736-4663, or email your request to .

About The Institutes for The Achievement of Human Potential

The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential is a worldwide, nonprofit organization, founded in 1955 by Glenn Doman. Its mission is to provide parents with the tools to raise significantly the intellectual, physical, and social abilities of all children in a joyful manner.